Wells police: Man faces attempted murder charge for shooting at tenant over broken window

WELLS, Maine — A local man is facing an attempted murder charge after allegedly trying to shoot a tenant living in his home who accidentally broke a window.

Emanuel Diggs, 22, of Wells, was arrested by police on Dec. 11, three days after the incident allegedly took place. He is currently being held on $50,000 cash bail. It is not known yet if Diggs has an attorney.

Police have charged Diggs with one count of attempted murder for pointing a rifle at the tenant and threatening to "take everyone out" on Dec. 8. He's also facing a charge of domestic violence reckless conduct for assaulting his mother, who tried to prevent him from shooting the tenant.

According to the police affidavit filed by Wells police officer Nicholas Cousins, the tenant reported the incident to police the day after the alleged crimes took place.

The tenant told police that he had been renting a room in the house belonging to Diggs and his mother for about a month.

He said the incident with Diggs trying to shoot him started over a broken window.

The tenant told police that he accidentally broke a window while shutting a garage door after returning from work at approximately 11:30 a.m. The tenant informed Diggs' mother about the accident and then went to take a nap.

Nearly five hours later, the tenant woke up hearing the mother yelling at Diggs saying, “You better not have done anything to the Jeep.”

The tenant, who is the owner of the Jeep, came out of his room to see what the commotion was when he learned Diggs was upset about the window in the garage.

Moments later, after looking at the damaged window with Diggs, the tenant told police he heard a commotion coming from Diggs’ bedroom. The tenant entered the bedroom and found Diggs aiming a rifle right at his torso, according to the affidavit. The mother entered the room and grasped the top of the rifle with both of her hands and tried to push the muzzle down towards the floor.

“Emmanuel was pulling the rifle up, preventing her from doing so,” the affidavit said.

Diggs pulled the rifle’s trigger, but it misfired, according to the affidavit. Diggs then said he was “going to take out everyone with him.”

Previous story: Wells police nab suspect in attempted murder case involving firearm

Why police were not called right away

The tenant told police he retreated to his bedroom as Diggs allegedly reloaded, as he believed Diggs was “trying to kill him,” according to the affidavit. The tenant grabbed his own firearm for protection, fearing Diggs would come into his bedroom and hurt him.

Diggs, however, walked past the tenant’s bedroom and left the house “without anything in his hands,” the affidavit states.

The tenant told police they locked the front door to keep Diggs out. However, as he and the mother tried to call 9-1-1, Diggs returned and kicked open the front door. The tenant told police that Diggs approached his mother from behind, wrapped his arms around her, and prevented the call, according to the affidavit.

The tenant told police that Diggs left the home, and this time didn’t return. The tenant found Diggs’ rifle back in the safe, in which Diggs kept multiple other guns, locked it and gave the key to the mother to hide, according to the affidavit.

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Diggs’ mother confirms attempted shooting, assault

According to the police affidavit, Wells police contacted Diggs’ mother after the tenant filed a police report.

Wells Police Corporal Jeffrey Galasyn contacted the mother by phone, and she confirmed that Diggs had tried to shoot both her and the tenant, according to the affidavit. She also confirmed that she had to physically grab hold of the rifle to prevent Diggs from shooting the tenant.

Diggs said “all kinds of stupid (expletive)” during the alleged altercation, according to the mother. She said Diggs threatened to “take us all out” if she called the police.

The mother confirmed that Diggs had assaulted her as she tried to control the muzzle of the rifle.

Galasyn asked the mother if Diggs had ever discharged a shotgun in their home before.

“Not a shotgun, no,” she replied, according to the affidavit. “No, it was a small vintage handgun.”

The mother told Galasyn that Diggs was “terrified of police" and would not come to the door if Wells police visited their home and knocked.

Galasyn asked the mother if Diggs likely would try to barricade himself in the house under such circumstances.

“Yes,” the mother replied, according to the affidavit. “That’s why I’m not trying to do it this way. I know his fear of you guys and authority, and it wouldn’t be pretty.”

Galasyn told the mother the Wells Police Department could not just ignore the report that Diggs had attempted to shoot someone, which the mother acknowledged.

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Diggs taken into custody without incident

The Wells Police Department issued a warrant for Diggs' arrest on Dec. 10.

Police requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service, Maine Violent Offender Task Force, to help locate and apprehend Diggs.

Investigators, according to police, learned Diggs was still in the area and were able to take him into custody without incident at a nearby gas station that day.

According to court documents, if Diggs does make bail, he will not be allowed to possess or use any firearms or dangerous weapons or make contact with the tenant or his mother.

He will also have to turn in all his weapons to the Wells Police Department.

Diggs is scheduled to appear in court on March 12 for a dispositional conference at the York Judicial Center in Biddeford.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Police: Wells man tried to murder tenant over broken window